Acoustics

Reducing noise in and between functional spaces.

The more energy a product absorbs, the shorter its life cycle. For a product to absorb a lot of energy, it must be made of a material that will deflect, allowing the falling object to penetrate or sink into the material. Ecore products feature a firm yet energy absorbing foundation that meets all physical requirements while maximizing acoustical performance.

Our goal is to maximize the amount of energy that will be absorbed by the surfacing.

The Acoustics of

Dropped Weights

The Law of Conservation of Energy says within a closed system, energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

The total energy within a system, for example weights being dropped on a floor, always remain constant. Upon impact, all of the energy from the falling weight gets redistributed in the following 3 ways:

Reflected back into the falling object: as seen when a weight rebounds back up.

Transmitted through the flooring into adjacent areas as sound and vibrational energy.

Absorbed by the flooring

Fitness Flooring Life Cycle

When subject to repeated impacts

When it comes to lifting weights, athletes prefer and need a firm foundation to press into.

Covering a gym floor with something like foam, wouldn't be practical or durable. This is why Ecore products feature performance crumb rubber. It's an elastomeric material that possesses an internal damping factor. This damping dissipates energy, reducing the amount of deflection needed to absorb energy from an impact.

Rebounding weights are a danger to athletes. Sound and vibration are what facility owners are hoping to avoid.

In addition to providing standard IIC, STC, and NRC ratings, Ecore has conducted dozens of lab tests to provide as much acoustical data as possible.

The Facts Behind

Acoustic Performance

IIC ratings can be a helpful reference, but they don't provide you with a complete picture of the acoustic problem at hand.

In the US, the acoustic properties of flooring are currently limited to:

For the case of heavy impact sound transmission in gyms, IIC ratings are limited by two factors:

The majority of acoustical energy generated by dropped weight falls in the range between 25-400 hertz. IIC Ratings don't include that full range.

The impact source in an IIC test consists of 1 pound hammers being dropped from 1.5 inches high. This wouldn't even come close to simulating the types of weight drops that occur in a gym.

Ecore's Athletic Surfaces Compared

Ecore signifigantly differs from its competition. Ecore Athletic products feature performance rubber and are proudly made in the USA. They feature wear layers that provide durability, slip-resistance, and force distribution. Many competitors are using ISO (International) and JIS (Japanese) methods for their acoustical testing, none of which translate well into American requirements. Their "heavy" impact testing only consists of a 5.5 lb rubber ball.